History of the Canadian International Development Agency - Research Paper Example

? Analysis of the Selected Agency ANALYSIS OF THE SELECTED AGENCY History of the Canadian International Development Agency The Canadian International Development Agency was started in 1968 by the government of Canada. Its main objective is the administration of foreign aid to countries in the development stage while operating in collaboration with both private and public organizations in Canada, as well as other organizations in the international arena. The agency reports to the government of Canada via the International cooperation ministry. It is mandated to help in giving support to developing countries in sustainable development for the reduction of poverty and contribution to a world that is more prosperous, equitable, and secure. The International Cooperation Ministry of the Federal government, which is currently headquartered in Gatineau, Quebec, oversees the activities of CIDA. Its major objectives are social development including child protection and basic education, economic health of developing countries, sustainability of the environment, and striving for good governance, democracy, and respect of human rights by governments in developing countries. The Agency concentrates most of its bilateral aid in a select group of countries including Haiti and Indonesia. However, this concentration is not inclusive of programs offered by such multilateral bodies like UNDP and UNICEF. It does not also include assistance in fast intervention measures for natural disasters, conflict, and crisis, which are offered all over the world by the Agency’s strong hand of help (Bruneau, 2008). CIDA has made real progress in obtaining results in the arena of international development via collaboration with international, Canadian, and local partners. These results are inclusive of a drop in poverty levels from 1.3 billion in 1990 to 980 million in 2004 (Bruneau, 2008). Other accomplishments are the enrollment of more children in developing countries to primary schools, decline in child mortality, and achievement of Millennium Development Goal by developing countries like Ghana. 2. Organizational Design According to the information systems at the agency, CIDA has 2336 positions, which are, classified (Irwin, 2008). The branch in Africa is the biggest of all the branches with three hundred and eighty five positions in total. It is followed by the Asian branch, which has two hundred and twenty eight positions. After which the branch in the Americas follows with its one hundred and ninety three positions, and finally the branches in the Maghreb, Middle East, and Europe with its one hundred and fifty two positions. The policy branch, which consists of two hundred and thirteen positions, is the Agency’s largest corporate branch. Two hundred and three positions strong branch then follows it for Canadian Partnership, and then the branch for multilateral programs, which is one hundred and nineteen strong and finally the thirty-eight strong Canada corps. With regard to the branches dealing with a corporate service, the branch of HR and corporate services is the most staffed with three hundred and thirty nine positions. It is then followed in a distant second by the information technology and management branch with one hundred and ninety six positions, then by the branch dealing with communication with one hundred and forty four positions and finally by the Knowledge management and performance branch with its forty one positions. The remainders of the positions, which come up to eighty-five, are inclusive of the offices of the Senior Vice President, Executive Vice President, and President (Irwin, 2008). The distribution of the4 Agency’s positions is as follows. Of the two thousand three hundred and thirty six agencies classified positions, eight hundred and twenty three job positions are clumped against one of twenty-three generic descriptions of work at the agency. Administrative and Program services 1563 Social and economic science services 171 Purchasing, commerce, and audit 113 Executive group 108 Computer systems 105 Financial management 91 HR management 60 Patent and applied science examination 53 Land survey, engineering, and architecture 25 Library and education science 18 Technical services 12 Management trainee 11 Operational services 4 Health services 2 Total 2336 (Bruneau, 2008) () (Bruneau, 2008) 3. Assessment of Organizational Design With the aim, of achieving increased excellence in the management of information, financial, and human resources, CIDA’s organizational structure could be redesigned. The overall management, HR function capacity, leadership, and administration need to be scrutinized. A Human resource Management project was introduced, targeting improvements in functional and management issues. One sub-project of the project was the classification and organization program rehabilitation. Its objective was the restoration of business effectiveness, integrity, and strength to the Agency’s design of organization and function classification. Rehabilitation of the organizational structure has several objectives. These are: Restoration of maximum functional capability, Set in motion processes aimed at managing future and current demands, Construction of the policy and infrastructure framework. The redesign is aimed at ensuring that there is care given to the creation and adherence to effective strategies, coherence and coordination of agency activities, increased room for innovation, increased credibility and clarity of communication on the impact of the Agency, external and clear result validation, and incorporation of principles aimed at aid effectiveness (Orsini & Smith, 2005). Increased emphasis on global partnerships through the organizational structure redesign puts most of its focus on firstly, creation of expertise of an excellent nature in the areas identified as priority sectors in the agency. Secondly, cementing of relationships with its global partners for development. Thirdly, contribution to the effectiveness of organizations of a multilateral nature and finally, provision of effective and timely humanitarian assistance (Pratt, 2006). (Morrison, 2005) 4. Evaluation of Planning and Implementation The success of the Agency and is affected by several milestones which influence the decision-making, organizational design, and planning of the Agency. These are; a) Development and implementation of procedure and policy instruments Instruments Objectives Effective date Policy on organizational restructuring and request classification Ensure the compliance of the agency with policies under PSHRAMC on authority delegation and systems of classification. Also ensures the Agency is capable of carrying out informed decisions on classification, restructuring of the organization and that impact on inter, and intra-departmental salary expenditures, collective bargaining, and relativities are comprehended in advance and accordingly managed. Provide tools for procedures and practices standardization with the aim of seeking to gain the correct level of approval for proposals on clarification and organizational restructuring. July 5th 2012 Procedure on organizational restructuring and requests for classification Makes sure that the OCDS does a review of positions before any action to carry out staffing is implemented. This process is vitally important in order to ensure that the description of the job is reflective of the responsibilities of the job and their updating and review on a regular basis. August 1st 2012 Requests on EX classification This ensures the description of the delivery process of services that are utilized in the division of Human Resource to requests that are related to EX (executive) group positions. August 1st 2012 CRC proposal template on organizational change Ensures the provision of information that is needed for approval by the CRC August 1st 2012 CRC template for classification request Ensures the provision of information that is needed for approval by the CRC August 1st 2012 Policy on nomenclature of the senior management at CIDA Makes sure that the agency complies with the policy by PSHRMAC on authority of the organizational structure and executive position classification. Provide standardization tools for organizational entity designation and for the utilization of titles at the level of senior management. August 1st 2012 (Bruneau, 2008) b) Procedure and policy instruments being developed Instruments Objectives Effective date Classification monitoring procedures, policy, and program framework Make sure that the agency is on track to meet all requirements of the TBS monitoring policies all the while focusing on adequate processing and control risk levels, which are identified in the impact matrix and risk assessment of the Agency for the program on classification. November 2nd 2012 Linked procedures and classification grievances policy Make sure that PSHRMAC policy on classification grievances is respected. Provision of tools for the clarification of employee rights for the submission of grievances on classification and the responsibilities and roles of all involved parties during submission of grievances November 2nd 2012 Description of generic work guidelines Provide advice, guidance, and information to managers on the utilization of descriptions of generic work. November 4th 2012 SAP use procedures Provide guidance to the administrative officer at branch level, on how to enter data related to classification into the SAP system. November 10th 2012 (Bruneau, 2008) There are a few possible causes for the impediment of the Agency’s policy implementation and goal achievement. These are: Impact Risk Classification Low probability Medium probability High probability High Coincidence may not be in existence between performed work and described work Reliable data may not be available from the electronic system of support, or SAP, for the support of up-to-date generation of Agency reports as well as provision of accurate reports Medium Description of work may not always be updated when there is a change in work requirements. Lack of appropriate use of descriptions of generic work. low A large number of reorganizations are taking place. Situations of misuse and non-coincidence of description of generic work for positions that are highly specialized. (Bruneau, 2008) 5. Recommendations for Planning and Implementation 5.1 Electronic support system CIDA has a commitment to forward movement with the project on “SHIP” in order to correct the issues, which were, identified with the electronic support system fro the HR department. In addition, the agency should develop draft procedures aimed at the utilization of SAP for the actions of classification. This process should act as guidance of administrative officers at branch level during entry of data related to classification into the system while at the same time contributing to the reduction of the rate of error. 5.2 Classification Decisions CIDA should take the following actions to address the issues raised pertaining to the monitoring report on CS monitoring: Work in close contact with the management to for the identification of classification actions and organization, which are needed to align its CS profile with the profile given by the government. This should be accompanied by curtailment of positions regarding non-supervisory roles at CS level four and five with limited responsibilities of supervision. Review of retroactivity policy. Take into consideration the institution of the Agency’s best practice requiring al classification requests are attached to management notes, which request the action. Take into consideration the modification of position record and classification action’s signature block, which is inclusive of the signatory’s typed name, for the facilitation of the signee’s positive determination. 5.3 Training Managers require to be trained on how to evaluate non-executive positions, which is recommended to start as soon as possible. This should be expected to allow for an exponential increase in classification committee numbers. It is also recommendable for CIDA to train bargaining agents, employees, and managers, in order for them, to be acquainted to the new organizational format and description. References Bruneau C, Ramsay O, & Jo?rgensen J. (2008). C.I.D.A : the organization of canadian overseas assistance. Montre?al : McGill University, Retrieved from: http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/cla/idevi02-eng.asp Irwin R. (2008). Ethics and security in Canadian foreign policy. Vancouve: Univ. of British Columbia Press. Morrison R. (2008). Aid and ebb tide : a history of CIDA and Canadian development assistance. Waterloo, Ont: Wilfrid Laurier University Press in association with the North-South Institute . Retrieved from: http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/dpr-rmr/2007-2008/inst/ida/ida04-eng.asp Orsini M, & Smith M. (2006). Critical policy studies. Winnipeg: UBCPress. Pratt C. (2006). Canadian international development assistance policies : an appraisal. Kingston, On: McGill-Queen's University Press. Appendix I Interview Form 1. When and why was CIDA legislated? CIDA was legislated in 1968 by the government of Canada. Its main objective is the administration of foreign aid to countries in the development stage while working in conjunction with both private and public organizations in Canada, as well as other organizations in the international arena to drive development and reduce poverty. 2. What is the current organizational structure of the Organization? The current organizational structure of CIDA is headed by the office of the president assisted by an executive vice president. The executive vice president is assisted by the senior vice president and oversees the Canada corps. He is also responsible for the various branches worldwide. 3. Does the current organizational structure hinder the policy-making decisions of the organization? No. 4. Are there any plans for reorganization of the structure in the future? Yes 5. If yes, is there any position that will be modified or scrapped? The position of senior vice president will be merged with that of the executive vice president 6. What impact does the organization hope this restructuring will have on their operations? It will give more autonomy to the Canada corps whose service is absolutely vital for the agency. 7. Are there any milestones that the organization has set for the future which aim to improve its success and effectiveness? Yes. These are the development and implementation of procedure and policy instruments as well as development of procedure and these policy instruments. 8. What would you (the interviewee) like to see done in order to improve the success of the organization? The agency should improve the current electronic system of support, streamline classification procedures, and improve technical training for employees. Read More